School me on 15" speakers...

ChuckManual

I'd like to add a 15" extension cab to my 2x10" combo, to bring a little more warmth into the picture - but, other than a brief loan of a Fender Twin '68 Custom 15, a quick demo of a Musicman RP15 and many many years listening to my grandfather's old (but still rather epic) valve radiogram, I don't have much experience with them.

Any recommendations?

It wouldn't be used for high gain stuff, btw.  Just; clean, break-up and 'saucy' drive.

Many thanks for all advice given!

davedave

I love fifteens for guitar.

What combo is it and what speakers are in there?

I've a Tayden in one cab, an Eminence Big Ben in another and an early 70s Marshall 4x15 loaded with Celestion G15.

ChuckManual

It's a re-housed Fender Blues Junior that's now in a solid mahogany cab with two Jenson C10Q's.  It's lovely, but I just feel it's missing a little something from the bottom end.  I've tried adding various Celestion, Eminence and Two Rock 12"'s to the mix, but nothing sounds quite as good as the Twin Custom 15 that I borrowed.

Deijavoo

I fancy adding a 2x15 to my 2x12 Mesa for heavy stuff so alternative recommendations appreciated here too.

davedave

I know Jensen do a few 15s. Check to make sure the sensitivity in dbs is the same otherwise one cab will drown out the other.
All the Eminence I've seen are around 103 db and they're loud.
Check Weber out too. I quite like some of there stuff.

RiftAmps

I really like the WGS G15C. Unless you can find either an EV, JBL or Altec of course

ICBM

I love the old Celestion 'spider frame' 15s. They're not as deep and clean as you might expect, they sound like a slightly more scooped Greenback. They're not too rare or valuable, since most people don't rate 15s for guitar and they're no good for bass by modern standards because of the low power rating.

Don't assume you'll get the tone of a Custom Twin with one - or any 15 - though, at least half of that is the amp.

ChuckManual

RiftAmps said:

...unless you can find either an EV, JBL or Altec of course

OK, this is definitely where I need the education.  Are all of those out of production now?  I'm not sure how happy I'd be buying secondhand speakers blind... 

:-S

Gassage

Juat bear in mind when doing this that combining 10's and 15's gives a completely different depth of sound (literally) as the completed sound wave cycles from the 10" get to your ears a darn sight faster than the 15" and can make the overall sound a bit confused.

For me 15" are better for slide guitar.

(my opinion above- YMMV).

octatonic

I've never had any compelling reason to move away from 12" speakers.

15" just seems to add more weight and a slightly different EQ curve that I then EQ out.

DarnWeight

I had a 4 ohm 15" Peavey Black Widow in a Twin (actually a Dual Showman Reverb) for a little while, and as a single-speaker solution, it wasn't ideal.  Lots of huge thick warm bass and low mids, but not enough sparkle for general guitar use.  If you were using it in a dedicated extension cab, combined with something brighter or more traditionally "guitar", it would probably work well.

I replaced it with a Jensen C15K, which I'm liking a lot more.  Needs more break in, but it's definitely working far far better on its own than the Black Widow.

Van_Hayden

The Celestion fullback is worth a listen.

Dominic

Eminence Big Ben for a really meaty bassy British Sound.........guess it could work well with something bright to give a defined scoop